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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23157859">Apprentice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badwolf36/pseuds/Badwolf36'>Badwolf36</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Assassination Classroom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Assassination, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Introspection, Training, Visions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:49:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>792</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23157859</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badwolf36/pseuds/Badwolf36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Every time Irina thinks of molding Nagisa into an actual assassin (outside of trying to kill the moon-destroying tentacle creature), she sees a terrifying image of him in her mind’s eye.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Class 3-E &amp; Irina Jelavić, Irina Jelavić &amp; Shiota Nagisa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>124</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Apprentice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Irina has never considered taking an apprentice before.</p>
<p>Honestly, most days she’s surprised she’s lived as long as she has. Some of her assassinations haven’t gone off as cleanly as she (or Lorvo) would have liked.</p>
<p>But the assassination classroom of 3-E is putting dangerous thoughts in her head. It’s these thoughts she contemplates as she sits at her desk and look out over the study hall she’s running. These kids have potential, even though almost everyone in their lives has written them off.</p>
<p>Yada is the one who seems the most interested in her methods. The girl is always asking for another story on how she seduced this or that target, how to ply small tools like yakuza pins for manipulation, and anything else that Irina is willing to divulge. It’s oddly flattering.</p>
<p>All of the students show at least some level of interest in her lessons, whether language or assassination. Even Terasaka, oaf that he is, has been picking up enough English that he could probably talk to a girl in a bar halfway around the world without getting slapped.</p>
<p>But her master’s interest in Nagisa Shiota has pushed the boy higher on her estimation scale. (He’d already been climbing after his encounter with Takaoka. Plus, he was fun to tease with French kisses.) Lorvo never took the time to nurture people without talent. And while he gave tips and suggestions to all of Class 3-E, he took special care to answer’s Nagisa’s question, to train him personally.</p>
<p>But every time she thinks of molding the boy into an actual assassin (outside of trying to kill the moon-destroying tentacle creature), she sees a terrifying image of him in her mind’s eye.</p>
<p>He’s a little older, but not much taller. He’s in a dark alley, a long black coat with a hood covering his small frame and long blue hair. The body at his feet is utterly still, only the growing crimson pool beneath it and the odd angle of the neck betraying something more heinous than sleep.</p>
<p>On closer examination, the boy’s expression is as lifeless as the body beneath him – save the eyes.</p>
<p>Those once bright and innocent blue eyes blaze with bloodlust. The endless thirst for killing reflected there reminds Irina of the man who slaughtered her family before she took his life with her father’s pistol. He lifts the serrated knife he’s holding closer to his face, the steel blade dripping with blood that a delicate pink tongue darts out to catch…</p>
<p>“Professor Bitch?” Irina is forcibly shocked out of her vision only to see it standing before her, albeit in his normal, clean school uniform. Nagisa looks a bit confused at the fact she’s flinched away from him, but shakes it off quickly. “I was hoping you could explain the meaning of this word.”</p>
<p>He’s holding up the book she’s assigned. His slender pointer finger (so familiar with a knife’s handle) is pointing at the English word ‘transience.’</p>
<p>“Oh, ah.” She takes the book from him, shaking her head a bit to clear the cloying scent memory of copper and cordite away. “Transience. You might also see it as ‘transient,’ typically in the adjective form. It means ‘short’ or ‘fleeting.’ Like cherry blossom season or a summer fling or…”</p>
<p>She looks at him. So bright. So inquisitive. So much potential – both for nurturing life or for causing death.</p>
<p>“Innocence,” she finishes, the word tripping awkwardly off her tongue. “Does that help?”</p>
<p>Nagisa retrieves the book from her, finger running under the words as he rereads the sentence with the new context. His eyes light up once he’s finished.</p>
<p>“Yes, thank you!”</p>
<p>“Back to your seat now.” He turns, too graceful (like he’s blending into the nonexistent shadows between the rows of desks). As he starts walking back to his place, Irina counts his steps. She comes to a decision at five, and solidifies her resolve as he slides into his seat (not a movement wasted – such a valuable skill) on eight.</p>
<p>She was dragged into the dark on a tidal wave of familial blood. And not one of these children, no matter how suited for assassination they are, is going to follow her if she can help it. Looking out over her kids (and what a novelty to think of them as <em>hers</em>), she makes a personal vow.</p>
<p>
  <em>I, Irina Jelavić, will not take an apprentice. I will train these kids. I will show them English. And seduction. And how to use their skills to stay alive in this world that will try over and over to break them and kill them. But it will end there.</em>
</p>
<p>From his seat, Nagisa looks up at her and smiles. And Irina, finally at peace with herself, smiles back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks so much for reading! Leave a comment if you enjoyed! I always adore reading them.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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